If you flip a fair coin 4 times, what is the probability that you will get exactly 2 tails?
1 Answer
# P("Exactly 2H") = 0.375 #
Explanation:
Method 1 - Tree Diagram
# P("Exactly 2H") = P("HHTT") + P("HTHT") + #
# " " P("HTTH") + P("TTHH") + #
# " " P("THHT") + P("THTH") #
# " " = 0.0625 * 6 #
# " " = 0.375 #
Method 1 - Combinations
Using the combination formula:
# ""_nC^r = ( (n), (r) ) = (n!)/(r!(n-r)!) #
We seek any combination of 2 heads from 4 coins:
# n("possible combinations") = ""_2C^4 = ( (4), (2) ) #
# " " = (4!)/(2!(4-2)!) #
# " " = (4!)/(2!2!) #
# " " = (24)/(2*2) #
# " " = 6 #
And the total number of all combinations of 4 flips
# n("total combinations") = 2^4 #
# " " = 16 #
# P("Exactly 2H") = 6/16 #
# " " = 0.375 #
